April Showers, Wildflowers and Tasty Treats

Posted : March 20, 2015

It’s the first full month of spring and we’re celebrating the beauty of the season and the bounty of our planet. Let the elements touch your senses with a fun filled month of wildflowers, star gazing and top it off with the ninth annual Taste of Calaveras culinary extravaganza! Read on and start making plans.

Mr. Frog’s Wild Ride

April 18 is the eighth annual Mr Frog’s Wild Ride, a magical springtime cycling tour through Calaveras County that doubles as a fundraiser for Feeney Park in Murphys, a 15 acre community sports and recreation facility featuring a skate park, disc golf course, outdoor amphitheater, picnic areas and playing fields. Choose from a 50k or 100k ride with SAG support and plenty of snack stops along the way. A barbecue and finish party – with an included massage – make a great way to celebrate a great ride. This year’s route will showcase the southwestern end of the county with the poppy-studded hillsides of New Melones and the majestic oaks along Red Hill Road. Full details and registration information is now online at http://www.mrfrogswildride.org.

For only two Saturdays this April you can hop aboard the Wildflower Train at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown. Prior to boarding, you’ll have the chance to familiarize yourself with the local wildflower population. Then on the train, naturalists will be on hand to answer questions and point out wildflower groupings along the way.

It all comes down to rocks. Have you ever considered that nearly every part of our lives has a geological origin? That’s the idea behind the “Earth in a Nutshell” program at Stories in Stones, where you will learn that you can’t live without rocks and that you eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sounds crunchy. The presentation is for the whole family and is open to the public with free admission. If you’re not yet familiar with the amazing gifts and treasures inside Stories in Stones – not to mention the tales of globetrotting owners Russ and Pam Shoemaker – you are in for a treat.

April showers. One thing you notice when you look up at the sky at night here in the mountains is that there sure seem to be a lot more stars and for star-gazers the night sky in Calaveras does not disappoint. Plan to see plenty of stars next month as the Lyrids meteor shower occurs April 19-25, and peaks around April 22nd and the morning of the 23rd. Find a comfortable recliner, a blanket and plan to take in the action up above.

We’ll celebrate the planet too with the annual Earth Day event, which comes to Utica Park in Angels Camp on April 26th. Bring a blanket to spread on the grass under the redwoods and sycamores for an afternoon of live music, arts and craft vendors and food booths. Music starts at 11:00am and the event goes until 6:00pm, admission is free.

Nearby at Greenhorn Creek, come taste the finest that Calaveras has to offer with Taste of Calaveras. The county’s most acclaimed winemakers, chefs and plein air artists come together at CAMPS Restaurant to create an unforgettable experience; winemakers pour their award-winning wines, chefs hand out samples of culinary delights and artists paint from their palettes. Guests can take advantage of a number of opportunities including cooking and wine demonstrations, bidding in a silent auction or even a putting contest out on the golf course. Popular local musician Jill Warren will be on hand strumming out the soundtrack for the afternoon. Tickets include a commemorative wine glass and all proceeds help the Angels Camp Business Association create more community driven projects.